New Ship for P&O?

[david63]

There are strong hints on Cruise Critic that there will be an announcement sometime February/March of a new ship for P&O.

So which ship(s) will be going?

[Ray B]

It seems so soon for P&O to be having another new ship after taking delivery of the two mega size ships.
If there is going to be another new ship, I wonder what Canival is going to give P&O, mega big, medium, small.
You have opened up for speculation David.

[david63]

It seems so soon for P&O to be having another new ship after taking delivery of the two mega size ships.

But from announcement to taking delivery will probably be the best part of five years - so not that soon.

[Meg 50]

need a smaller one - but fat chance of that, I suspect!

[CaroleF]

I've seen those comments on Cruise Critic site too. I think there's someone who's supposed to be a mole who works for P&O, whether that's true or not goodness knows. I'd love to see a smaller ship for P&O, new or transferred I don't mind but I doubt that's going to happen. They obviously see the future in family ships, aimed at the younger generation. I've commented before that if Aurora and or Arcadia go what happens to the long journeys, the round the world cruises that those two ships do now? Maybe they too will go. Certainly none of the large ships will be doing round the world trips. I seem to remember that years ago it was suggested Azura do either a long trip or World cruise, I can't remember which but it never happened.

[Mervyn and Trish]

With the direction of travel and divergence of the Carnival brands that sail.out the UK I can't see any new P&O ship being any smaller than Iona or Arvia. The days of boutique P&O cruising on small ships are long gone.

[oldbluefox]

The days of boutique P&O cruising on small ships are long gone.

And so am I along with many who prefer Aurora and Arcadia to the 'family friendly Butlins at Sea' experience. Tried it and not impressed. Beautiful ships but not the experience I was looking for.
Fortunately there are other cruise lines out there who will now provide what I am looking for but it's not little children chasing around late into the evening whilst parents make sure they get their money's worth out of their drinks package, the embarrassment of having to watch buffet staff clear up the mess left on tables and floor after some of these families have walked away nor the Primark experience of freedom dining with people coming and going, tables being set up again by overworked waiters trying to do 10 things at once whilst you try your best to have a pleasant, relaxed meal. Sorry P&O your style of cruising (if that's the direction you're going) is not mine and I'm literally jumping ship.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Apart from a family booking on Arvia next year I agree. To my mind the the drinks package was the worst thing they ever did. Too many tattoo'd drunks making sure they get value for money. The blokes are almost as bad.

[david63]

I suspect that the problem that all cruise lines, not just P&O, have is that everybody has their own preferences for how a cruise line should operate. All are right and all are wrong.

As we very rarely cruise during peak season then we have not had the experience of hoards of feral children roaming the ship, nor have we encountered the tattooed drunks - not saying does not happen, just not on cruises that we have been on.

Personally I prefer what are now considered the mid size ships such as Britannia and I am definitely not a fan of Aurora, Arcadia is, or at least was, OK. Not been on either of the biggies but that is only due to the fact that neither of them have had an itinerary that suited us at a time we wanted to go.

For us the one big failing of P&O is the dining arrangements. I do not want to have to join a queue, either physical or virtual, to have a meal and then get a call that my table is ready when I have just started a drink in the bar. And club dining can be even worse in that you arrive at the MDR for your sitting only to find a queue half way round the ship.

Other cruise lines within Carnival Corp can handle it far better than P&O - why?

With Princess there is "Reserve" dining where you can wander up at whatever time you want, during opening times, and be shown straight to a table for two. On Cunard if you are in Grills/Britannia Club then you can not only turn up when you want but will have an allotted table for the duration of the cruise. These days, for various reasons, that is what we want but I accept that is not necessarily what others may want.

Like others I now find that P&O is going in a direction that I don't want to go - so alternatives have had to be found.

[Ray B]

David, I really do not mind joining Aurora, allways seem to have had an enjoyable time on her.
I'm just wondering what it is that puts you off going on her. To small, old or lack of facilities ?

[Stephen]

Too small for me.

[david63]

I'm just wondering what it is that puts you off going on her. To small, old or lack of facilities ?

Too small and I don't like the layout - just not a ship for me

[CaroleF]

One good thing can be said about P&O at the moment is the choice of the size of ship. David doesn't like Aurora at all, particularly her layout. For me, on the other hand, Aurora is my favourite ship and I really like the understated layout of the atrium. So as of now I can find what I want and David can choose a larger ship. However, I don't expect this state of affairs will last long. Aurora and Arcadia go and then so do I to a different cruise line. For me this will be limited as I don't want to fly, and even more limited because unfortunately I need to take a scooter on board, not easy with all the new restrictions.

[Whynd1]

I got very fed up with the P and O experience, coming back from a cruise a bit dissapointed with levels of service etc.

So decided to try Saga last year as prefer the smaller ship experience. Loved it.
Am off again this April with Saga and am hoping that it wasn't a one off and I will enjoy it as much as the previous one.

Lindsey

[towny44]

With the direction of travel and divergence of the Carnival brands that sail.out the UK I can't see any new P&O ship being any smaller than Iona or Arvia. The days of boutique P&O cruising on small ships are long gone.

I agree with Merv, but our CC Mole has indicated that Aurora and Arcadias recent refurbs should now give them a 30-35 yr lifespan. So I imagine it will be a revised Excel class, with an outside possibility that Ventura could be sold or switched elsewhere.

[david63]

but our CC Mole has indicated that Aurora and Arcadias recent refurbs should now give them a 30-35 yr lifespan

But he did not say who that lifespan would end with!

[towny44]

but our CC Mole has indicated that Aurora and Arcadias recent refurbs should now give them a 30-35 yr lifespan

But he did not say who that lifespan would end with!

No he didnt, but who in the Carnival stable would want the old ladies?

[david63]

No he didnt, but who in the Carnival stable would want the old ladies?

Probably none - but other cruise lines are available.

[towny44]

No he didnt, but who in the Carnival stable would want the old ladies?

Probably none - but other cruise lines are available.

But would P&O want to sell either, while they can still fill them at premium prtices.

[david63]

But would P&O want to sell either, while they can still fill them at premium prtices.

It has nothing to do with P&O it is what Carnival Corp decide.

[Mervyn and Trish]

When we were on Aurora last year the Captain said she was secure until at least 2028, 2030 if she continued to be well booked. But he's only a Captain, not an accountant.

[towny44]

But would P&O want to sell either, while they can still fill them at premium prtices.

It has nothing to do with P&O it is what Carnival Corp decide.

I was using P & O in the corporate sense, and would assume that whilst both ships can be kept in a seaworthy situation, and their revenue stream remains acceptable, then the company will have no pressure to sell them. Especially if their sale were to lead to them staying in the UK, and taking passengers with them.

[david63]

I was using P & O in the corporate sense, and would assume that whilst both ships can be kept in a seaworthy situation, and their revenue stream remains acceptable, then the company will have no pressure to sell them. Especially if their sale were to lead to them staying in the UK, and taking passengers with them.

I would not disagree with that logic but what we don't know is what Carnival's vision for P&O, or any other brand for that matter, is for the future so we can only conjecture.

The big question is how long the demand will exist for small adult only ships bearing in mind that many of Aurora and Acradia's loyal passengers are elderly and reaching the end of their cruising time. As passengers become used to the larger ships many will be disappointed with the facilities available on the smaller ships and will not want to sail on them.

Carnival have, predominantly, three brands sailing regularly out of the UK - Cunard, Princess and P&O with P&O appearing to be at the lower price bracket with the "stack them high, sell them cheap" policy. The adult ships do not fit the Princess style of cruising so there is little chance of them going there. They could possibly go to Cunard although to the Cunard die hards it would be a total abhorrence of destroying the brand. It is unlikely that they would be moved to a new, or sub, brand as Carnival are trying to consolidate their brands.

As for passengers moving away from P&O that is happening already especially with Aurora and Acradia's target market - not because of the ships but because of the decline in the product.

So therein lies the dilemma - what to do with these two ships? Bearing in mind that any new ship for P&O will be around five years away a lot can, and will, change between now and then and I would expect Carnival to have a "master plan" in place.

[towny44]

I was using P & O in the corporate sense, and would assume that whilst both ships can be kept in a seaworthy situation, and their revenue stream remains acceptable, then the company will have no pressure to sell them. Especially if their sale were to lead to them staying in the UK, and taking passengers with them.

I would not disagree with that logic but what we don't know is what Carnival's vision for P&O, or any other brand for that matter, is for the future so we can only conjecture.

The big question is how long the demand will exist for small adult only ships bearing in mind that many of Aurora and Acradia's loyal passengers are elderly and reaching the end of their cruising time. As passengers become used to the larger ships many will be disappointed with the facilities available on the smaller ships and will not want to sail on them.

Carnival have, predominantly, three brands sailing regularly out of the UK - Cunard, Princess and P&O with P&O appearing to be at the lower price bracket with the "stack them high, sell them cheap" policy. The adult ships do not fit the Princess style of cruising so there is little chance of them going there. They could possibly go to Cunard although to the Cunard die hards it would be a total abhorrence of destroying the brand. It is unlikely that they would be moved to a new, or sub, brand as Carnival are trying to consolidate their brands.

As for passengers moving away from P&O that is happening already especially with Aurora and Acradia's target market - not because of the ships but because of the decline in the product.

So therein lies the dilemma - what to do with these two ships? Bearing in mind that any new ship for P&O will be around five years away a lot can, and will, change between now and then and I would expect Carnival to have a "master plan" in place.

I dont disagree with your logic, but as I have stated, my view is that they will remain, as long as they are profitable, how long that might be is, as you say, open to conjectute.